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The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.

The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.

Patent No.:

US 9779593 B1

PDFFull Text
Date of Patent:
Oct. 03, 2017

Filed:

Aug. 15, 2014

Systems and methods for positioning a user of a hands-free intercommunication system

Applicant:

Elwha Llc, Bellevue, WA (US);

Inventors:

Jesse R. Cheatham, III, Seattle, WA (US);

Roderick A. Hyde, Redmond, WA (US);

Muriel Y. Ishikawa, Livermore, CA (US);

Jordin T. Kare, Seattle, WA (US);

Craig J. Mundie, Seattle, WA (US);

Nathan P. Myhrvold, Bellevue, WA (US);

Robert C. Petroski, Seattle, WA (US);

Eric D. Rudder, Mercer Island, WA (US);

Desney S. Tan, Kirkland, WA (US);

Clarence T. Tegreene, Mercer Island, WA (US);

Charles Whitmer, North Bend, WA (US);

Andrew Wilson, Seattle, WA (US);

Jeannette M. Wing, Bellevue, WA (US);

Lowell L. Wood, Jr., Bellevue, WA (US);

Victoria Y. H. Wood, Livermore, CA (US);

Assignee:

ELWHA LLC, Bellevue, WA (US);

Attorney:
Primary Examiner:

Curtis Kuntz

Assistant Examiner:

Qin Zhu

Int. Cl.
CPC ...
G08B 7/00 (2006.01); H04N 7/14 (2006.01); G06F 3/16 (2006.01); H04N 7/18 (2006.01); H04M 11/02 (2006.01); H04W 4/02 (2009.01); H04R 3/00 (2006.01); H04S 7/00 (2006.01); H04R 1/32 (2006.01);
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
G08B 7/00 (2013.01); G06F 3/167 (2013.01); H04M 11/025 (2013.01); H04N 7/142 (2013.01); H04N 7/147 (2013.01); H04N 7/18 (2013.01); H04N 7/186 (2013.01); H04R 3/00 (2013.01); H04W 4/02 (2013.01); H04R 1/323 (2013.01); H04R 1/326 (2013.01); H04R 2217/03 (2013.01); H04S 7/303 (2013.01);
Abstract

A hands-free intercom may include a user-tracking sensor, a directional microphone, a directional sound emitter, a display device, and/or a communication interface. The user-tracking sensor may determine a location of a user so the directional microphone can measure vocal emissions by the user and the directional sound emitter can deliver audio to the user. The hands-free intercom may induce the user to move to a desired location and/or to stay within a connectivity area. The hands-free intercom may also or instead induce the user to face in a desired orientation. The directional sound emitter and/or the display device may induce the user by explicitly indicating the desired location, by adjusting an apparent source of the audio or video, by changing quality of delivered audio or video based on user position, by producing irritating audio or video, and/or the like.

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